Well, at Simpson, the kids were told to build a solution to their problems using a box full of items such as rubber bands and plastic bendy straws.

The task was part of a full day of entrepreneurial events hosted by the Simpson College Department of Business and the EMERGE business incubator.

John Walker, assistant professor of management, said the day-long forum was hosted as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. The week celebrates start-up and innovative companies that "drive economic growth and expand human welfare," according to the Global Entrepreneurship Week website.

Walker said the goal of the event was to allow students to explore their creativity and come up with new ideas.

Trey Byers, a business management student at Simpson who is also part of the College Entrepreneurs' Organization, said entrepreneurship is about more than business.

"It teaches us communication, leadership and networking," he said.

Byers said he hoped Friday's event would help get the community involved with what the entrepreneurs at Simpson are trying to accomplish.

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Entrepreneur Ben McDougal holds up a FliteBrite beer flight paddle while talking to high school students at StartUp Storm. StartUp Storm promoted entrepreneurship with high school and college students during a Nov. 17 event at the Kent Campus Center.(Photo: Michael Rolands/Record-Herald)

Simpson students have several ideas in the works, such as a lunch box that tells parents exactly how much of each food group a child needs to eat to stay healthy.

Daniel Estrada, a Simpson student who is studying political science, said the group that created the lunch box wants to work with companies who created the brands for iconic characters such as Batman, so they can make the lunch boxes attractive to kids.

Simpson students also came up with a pop up games company, which includes a mini golf game, a ladder golf game and a Frisbee game. The idea for the games is that they are light enough to be portable, but sturdy enough they'll hold up to rough and tumble parties with kids.

The students have partnered with some companies in Des Moines who offer inflatables and other items that can be rented for parties and rent out their games to real customers.

Estrada said opportunities to start business and partner with professional business people are what make Simpson's entrepreneurship programs something special.

"You get more hands-on experience," Estrada said. "They give you more access to the alumni program and you get to hold one-on-one meetings with professionals and meet community members."

He said he's from Arizona originally, so the networking opportunities he's had at Simpson have helped him connect with and get to know the community around him.